Operators are often looking to improve their store throughput, or the efficiency with which they get customers through the restaurant. But at least one industry expert thinks that as they do so, they’re overlooking the business potential of zone merchandising to both speed throughput and boost...

The minimum wage is on the mind of most quick-service operators today, especially as many states and cities pass regulations that bump the minimum wage upward.
But when Moo Cluck Moo founder Brian Parker and his team first sat down to discuss employee pay, he says, the minimum wage wasn’t even a...

Quick-service operators looking for external financial support often find an attractive option in private equity firms. But finding the right partner takes effort, research, and a little bit of soul searching.
Colleagues and industry contacts are good places to start when considering private equity...

Perched on one side of this upstart, food-court competitor, there’s a Five Guys. On the other side, there’s an A&W All American Food stand. But the fast-food joint often attracting the longest lines at the bustling Florida Mall in Orlando, Florida, is a chain that most mall-goers had never even...

Q: Should our restaurant offer delivery service?
A: These days, everyone seems to be doing delivery, right? Starbucks, Chipotle, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell are some of the big chains that have recently announced tests or rollouts of delivery service. A lot of independent, technology-enabled...

It’s quite possible you’re not aware of all that you’ve already missed this summer—from National Quiche Lorraine Day on May 20 to National Dry Martini Day on June 19. But don’t worry; you can make up for it by celebrating both of the culinary items (macaroni and Grand Marnier) highlighted for...

LYFE Kitchen cofounder and chief brand officer Mike Donahue says the growing concept offers convenient, affordable, great-tasting food that just happens to be healthy.
“I don’t lead with the ‘H’ word,” he says. “People interested in healthy eating will find us.”
But the “H” word is what sets LYFE...

Regular readers of this column know that for some years now, I’ve been dispensing suggestions on how quick-serve chains can do more to court millions of Millennials, aka members of Generation Y, whose adventurous palates, curious minds, and unconventional tastes have often made them elusive qu

As most of the food industry knows, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced an extension to the rule released last year requiring that restaurant chains and retailers provide customers with calorie counts on available food and beverages by December 1, 2015.Now restaurants have an e